Four Months to Marry
by bella.breen
Summary: In Kindle Unlimited on Amazon-Preview chapters here only. - An epidemic decimates the population of England. Those of a certain age and health are forced to marry to repopulate society. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth navigate the rushed courting scene, but who will they end up marrying? HEA ODC
1. Chapter 1

When the first person fell to the ground, Mr. Darcy had just finished a solitary ride across the countryside that ended in Lambton. He had planned to stop at the pub and have a drink, one of his ways of knowing what was going on in his county. But when the second person sank, he turned his steed around and kicked him into a gallop towards Pemberley.

He thought hard on the ride back to his home. Both had bright red rashes. There had been no sign or sound of Napoleon's forces, and this far inland he would not believe the French to be the source of the illness. Besides, a malady would be hard to use in an attack. That left that it was a fast sickness, one that showed no symptoms until the person was well and truly ill.

His heart sped up as he thought of his sister, Georgiana, who loved to be out in the flower gardens. He would force everyone inside Pemberley and not let them out. Deliveries would be made by doorsteps without anyone coming into contact with someone from the outside. He would have to let his sister's masters leave, they had traveled from London to teach Georgiana for three months in Latin and oil painting.

Mr. Darcy pulled back on the reins to slow his horse to a canter. Should he even go to Pemberley? Would he infect everyone there? He did not know what else came with the illness after the rash and fainting, but if death was a possibility, he would not put his sister at risk. Nor the faithful servants of Pemberley.

He entered the stable yard, pulling his horse back from approaching a stable hand as they usually did. "Get away! I may be ill with a disease that has afflicted several in Lambton just now!"

The stable hands stood and stared, unsure of what to do or what to make of what their master said.

"After you take care of my horse, wash your hands and faces thoroughly. I do not want that illness here."

Mr. Darcy spied a footman having a break in the yard. "Mr. Allen, inform Mrs. Reynolds that I will be staying in the old gamekeeper's lodge until either I get the illness and it passes or a se'ennight. Have food delivered by hamper left outside."

He dismounted then quickly backed away from everyone, pulled his scarf over his nose and mouth, and walked out of the stable yard in the direction of the old lodge. Shouting had him turn around to see Mrs. Reynolds trying to get his attention.

"Mr. Darcy? What has happened?"

He felt uncouth yelling from afar, but he did not know anything about this new illness. "Several people fell to the ground in Lambton in the space of a minute with a rash. I do not know what the illness is, but I am taking all precautions."

Mrs. Reynolds blanched, and the stable hands took several steps backwards.

"I do not want anyone to come Pemberley with deliveries. They must place their deliveries outside. Everything from outside must be washed with soap and water. If anyone leaves, they cannot come back until the illness is gone from the county. Please tell Georgiana not to worry, that I am well but I will isolate myself so that no one catches this."

Mrs. Reynolds still looked stricken but nodded to Mr. Darcy.

He continued to walk to the old lodge wondering what illness had just arrived in Derbyshire. He could not remember one such as this nor having heard of it before. He was quite parched and hoped the well outside the lodge still had the bucket.

A basket was soon delivered with pebbles thrown by the footman at the lodge to let him know it was there. Mr. Darcy was careful to cover his mouth and nose with a scarf when he picked up the basket and took care to wash his hands after handling it.

"I bet I am just as fastidious as a surgeon!"

Georgiana had sent a letter with the basket of food. She was scared and upset that her brother had abandoned her though she understood he did not want to infect all of them. She could not understand that he might not yet have symptoms but develop them later. It hurt his heart but knew he was doing what was best for all of them.

* * *

Elizabeth had been in Meryton with her sisters looking at the shop windows and passing time. They had just smiled and nodded to a well dressed and handsome newcomer, he had to be a wealthy gentleman with how fine his clothes were, when the first person collapsed in the street. It was an elderly woman, and a good deal of townspeople rushed to help her stand up and pick up her purchases until one screamed and ran.

At that everyone looked closer at the old woman and then scattered. She had bumps on her head with a bright vermillion rash. During the rush to get away another person fell, a child of not more than two and ten. He too had a bright countenance with bumps as well. Then another child fell down.

It was absolute pandemonium with screams and accusations of witches, the French attacking and curses. Elizabeth had backed up to a shop window with her mouth agape. Lydia was screaming and pulling at her hair. Jane wanted to rush to help but Elizabeth held her back.

"Lydia, calm down and behave yourself." Elizabeth turned to Jane who still stared at the stricken children and looked up at the gentleman whose name she did not know.

"Do you need my help traveling to your home? I could probably fit one on my horse with me-"

The offer was too late as Lydia and Kitty broke away running and screaming for Longbourn. Elizabeth sighed as it would now be impossible to stop them before they made the entire house ill.

She turned back to the gentleman, looking up at him on his horse. "I am sorry but we need to catch my sisters before they reach home, but thank you."

The gentleman's eyes were focused on Jane, but he tipped his beaver hat and kicked his horse into a fast walk.

Elizabeth walked as quickly until she was out of Meryton and then she too started running. She had more strength and endurance than anyone else in her family as she would often run when there was no one else about. She caught up to her sisters bent over panting not far from Meryton.

"Kitty and Lydia, you should not have run out-of-town like that. You are the daughters of a gentleman."

Lydia still bent over with her hands on her legs, looked up at her sister. "This is no time for your lectures, Lizzy. We did not want to fall over and die, did we Kitty?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. Her younger sister was ever obstinate and never learned any lesson they tried to teach her. "Be that as it may, word will get out how you two behaved. And we cannot go directly home as we need to wash first so that we do not bring whatever it- "

Lydia stood upright with her usual disdainful countenance directed at Elizabeth. "Not go home? There is something killing people in Meryton! We have to warn them!"

Lydia and Kitty briskly walked on the path back towards Longbourn. When they were close Kitty and Lydia ran the rest of the way taking Elizabeth by surprise. She shook her head. Whatever the illness was, the entire house would have it now.

"Do you think the illness could spread that easily? Perhaps they all came in contact with the same sick animal?"

Jane was ever seeing the best in everyone, but today it only irritated Elizabeth. She pursed her lips and did not answer, as she could not think of anything to say.

They reached Longbourn just in time to see Lizzy and Kitty run out of the front door. "Hill is sick! She has the rash and her skin is so hot! Mama has sent a messenger to her home but nobody has come for her."

"No one probably will either!" said Kitty. "They are all falling down in Meryton!"

Elizabeth frowned. It was too late, the illness was already here.

"Do you think this could be something from Napoleon?" Jane asked. "Could he be attacking with illnesses?"

Jane really did look quite frightened, which was why Elizabeth took pity on her. "I do not see how Napoleon could have captured an illness, brought it across the channel and this far into England without anyone seeing them. I do not think anybody knows how to do that and I certainly do not believe our town in Hertfordshire would be one of the targets in a war."

Elizabeth was gratified to see some tension leave Jane's countenance.

They all walked inside Longbourn and provided what help they were able with Hill and calming Mrs. Bennet. She was sure they were all going to die and thrown out of their house by the odious Mr. Collins. They were so busy putting cool cloths on Hill's face and soothing their mother that no one thought of Mr. Bennet until supper. He was found collapsed on the floor of his study with a bright rash and bumps.


	2. Chapter 2

After a couple of days the post was no longer included with his basket of meals. Then there was no note from Georgiana. The next basket had a hurriedly penned note, the ink splotches were unlike Mrs. Reynolds, that his sister had fallen ill. He was sure that he did not even need to stay away anymore as he had not fallen ill, Mr. Darcy walked back to Pemberley finding the stable yard nearly deserted.

The feeling of dread grew worse, but he did not stop to find out why the stable yard had one stable hand instead of the usual ten and five. He jogged up the main staircase and turned down the hallway to the bedrooms, terrified of what he would find. Was Georgiana even alive right now? He passed two servants in the hall, neither carrying cleaning materials, but quite a lot of torn rags. The silence in the house was unnerving.

He reached his sister's door and stopped, ran his hands through his hair and then finally tapped on the door. Was he too late?

"Who is it?"

He sagged against his sister's bedroom door nearly crying in joy. "Georgiana, it is Fitzwilliam. Can I come in?"

"I do not want you to see me."

He frowned, still leaning on the door that separated him from his only living family member. "Why not? I have not seen you since I took myself away to not get anyone ill. Please, I must see that you are well!"

Mr. Darcy opened the bedroom door and walked to the canopy bed. Georgiana hid her face behind the blankets. "Georgiana, it is me, Fitzwilliam."

He sat on her bed and enveloped her in a hug. Georgiana let out a noise, then hugged her brother and cried. After a time her tears slowed, and she ceased hiccuping. Mr. Darcy pulled back but Georgiana hid her face in her hands.

"Why are you hiding your face? You cannot get ill again. The rash should be gone by now."

Georgiana blew her nose. "The illness, the smallpox left me scarred."

He stared at her while she put herself to rights and realized what he had thought were shadows on her face, were instead pitted scars. Her alabaster skin was no longer smooth but scarred with deep pits. His sister had survived, but at a dreadful cost.

Mr. Darcy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He still thought Georgiana was beautiful, but he knew how much her beauty, especially since she would have a season next year, would matter to her. "I am sorry, but I am not sorry you are alive. You are still my beautiful sister."

Georgiana cried. "I am not beautiful! I am a monster."

He pulled her into another hug. "That is preposterous. You have your blonde hair, your musical talent, your singing voice, your painting talent and all the other talents you had before. You have a few blemishes on your countenance but there must be many others with the same blemishes. I imagine that soon there will be a cream that will hide them."

Georgianna stopped her sniffling and sat back. "Thank you brother. I think you are right." She wiped her eyes.

"I must find Mrs. Reynolds and the stable master now. Do not worry, Georgiana, everything will be well."

He did not find Mrs. Reynolds during the walk down to the main floor. He pulled the bell for her in his study and turned to his desk reaching for the pile of mail but there was no post on the corner of his desk. Why was there no post?

Mrs. Reynolds entered his study and was such a sight that he stared. "Are you ill, Mrs. Reynolds? Sit down, I will call for a glass of wine."

She wearily shook her head. "May I sit down?" She collapsed in one of his leather wingback chairs before his desk. "No one will answer your call in the kitchens. There is no one there but Cook."

Mr. Darcy studied her as she sat in the chair. He had never seen her so exhausted and swore she had aged overnight. "What is it? What have you not told me?"

She moved her eyes in his direction. "I did not want you to worry. I knew if I told you the truth you would be back here right away getting ill with the rest."

Mr. Darcy slowly sat down in his chair, the dread from earlier heavy in his body.

"All the servants younger than three and ten are dead." Mr. Darcy gasped. "From what I have heard, it is the same everywhere. We have also lost our eldest such as Mr. Timms the stable master and Mr. Agnew the gamekeeper. There were a few of us that did not get ill but the rest are recovering. Some fared better than others."

Mr. Darcy was still, unable to fathom an illness that could take down so many. Finally he responded. "I saw my sister. She is scarred on her face. Are the others like that as well?"

Mrs. Reynolds looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Her beauty... she was so beautiful and now-"

Mr. Darcy let the housekeeper cry as he filled a glass with port and handed it to her. She tried to refuse it stating she was on duty, but he told her she needed it. After Mrs. Reynolds recovered, Mr. Darcy learned that the post quit delivery rather quickly and that other deliveries of cheese and milk also stopped. No one had gone into Lambton for the latest news as they were all busy trying to help keep everyone alive.

He stood and walked to the large window, staring out at the beautiful land of Pemberley. How many servants had died? He would have to write condolences and send their pay. He could not imagine the entire country having so many deaths as well. It had to have hit Derbyshire the hardest. Perhaps it was only isolated to Derbyshire? If it was not, he needed to get to his bankers in London and adjust his investments if there truly was an epidemic. And retrieve his post. He told Mrs. Reynolds to take the rest of the day and the next off and then went to visit his sister.

It would do his sister good to get away from Pemberley, from all the death and illness. In London she could shop for new dresses as she had grown and her dresses were probably too short. Georgiana, however refused to leave Pemberley. No amount of logic or assertion that no one could tell she had scars persuaded her from her belief that she was hideous. She resolutely refused to leave but told Mr. Darcy she would be fine at Pemberley and he could leave without her.

When Mr. Darcy arrived in London, he wished he had not. The smallpox had obviously been here as well, and he judged the loss of life to be enormous by seeing the number of bodies piled in the streets. He concluded his business with his banker and managed his investments with haste. His valet was able to secure the post for Pemberley and brought it to the Darcy townhouse in Mayfair. He also brought news as to why there had been no mail delivered for so long, all the post-boys had died from smallpox. With the amount of children dead from the smallpox, where there any left in England at all?

Mr. Darcy quickly went through his mail, as he was keen to leave London as soon as possible. It was not a clean city at the best of times. He slowed to read a letter from his friend Mr. Bingley who invited him to visit the estate he had leased in Hertfordshire. Mr. Darcy set it aside and continued going through the mail until he found another letter by his friend. This one hoped he and his sister were in good health and asked him to come to Netherfield, the estate he leased, as he had found the most beautiful woman he wanted to marry. Mr. Darcy looked heavenward as he knew his friend fell in love often and fell out of love just as quickly.

But when he read Mr. Bingley's third letter, Mr. Darcy sat upright and slowly reread it. What was his friend going on about? His friend implored him to come to Netherfield and help him pick out a wife so he did not make the wrong decision since they only had four months to marry. Mr. Bingley also asked what plans Mr. Darcy had for finding a wife.

He had obviously missed something important somewhere. Mr. Darcy went through the rest of the mail with greater haste but did not find anything that would make his friend believe he was forced to marry within four months. The butler entered Mr. Darcy's study with a stack of newspapers freshly ironed. On top was the latest issue of The Morning Post and right on the front page was the Marriage Law.

The Marriage Law would take place immediately to combat the horrible loss of life, especially children, due to smallpox. It went on to state the ages of both men and women affected by the law and that they had until the end of the year to marry or rest in gaol and a spouse would be found for them.

The newspaper fell from Mr. Darcy's hands to his desk. He had always planned on finding a wife that would love Pemberley and provide him children, but not this soon. And definitely not in only four months. Was the House of Lords mad? He snorted as he considered that the King was truly mad. Perhaps he had come up with this ridiculous notion?

Mr. Darcy stood and jabbed the fire poker at the burning logs in the fireplace. His only consolation was that Georgiana was one year too young to affected by the Marriage Law. He had not found a woman he loved and that would be a good mistress of Pemberley yet, and knew he would not be able to do so by the end of the year. He would have to sacrifice and marry someone he tolerated that would be a good sister to Georgiana and mistress of Pemberley. Those were his high hopes now, dash it all.

He penned a quick letter to his sister letting her know his change of plans and the reason why. He would take his friend up on his invitation. He could not stay in London and liked the country much better. He would keep his friend from making a horrible choice in bride and hopefully find a nice country girl he could tolerate.

* * *

Mr. Bennet stayed in his study on a pallet Elizabeth and Jane made of blankets. There were no servants well enough to help Mr. Bennet up to his bedroom on the next floor. Mrs. Bennet was inconsolable, unable to do anything but lament that they would all be turned out by Mr. Collins thanks to Hill falling ill and infecting Mr. Bennet. Elizabeth tried to reason with her mother that Hill was not the cause, but Mrs. Bennet would not listen. A servant had been sent to Hill's home but neither the servant nor anyone from Hill's family came to Longbourn.

They only had one servant still well and able to help so the girls did what they could to make meals of soup and keep Mr. Bennet comfortable. When Mrs. Bennet would leave her room, she was horrified at the work her girls were doing and yelled at them to stop as no gentleman wants a girl that cooks or does a servant's job. Jane and Elizabeth ignored her. If they did not take care of them, who would? Mary recited bible verses supporting the care of the ill but Mrs. Bennet never stayed in the same room long enough to actually hear them.

The post was no longer delivered and neither the Lucas' nor Mrs. Phillips came to visit. The Bennet's were completely occupied caring for Mr. Bennet, Hill and now Lydia who had fallen ill suddenly while play acting that she was a princess.

Elizabeth had never felt so worn and tired. She fell into bed each night asleep before her head touched the pillow. When she did have a moment to think, she worried for Mr. Bennet, Lydia and Mr. John Lucas, the eldest Lucas and her secret beau. Sir William Lucas was not as wealthy as Mr. Bennet, and Lady Lucas was not clever according to Mrs. Bennet, therefore Elizabeth knew her relationship with Mr. Lucas would need to be kept secret until they were ready to marry. Mr. Bennet would not begrudge her dowry to Mr. Lucas, as he thought the man to be the most intelligent of the Lucas family, but Mrs. Bennet would not be easy to deal with. Elizabeth hoped for Jane to marry first so that Mrs. Bennet would be happier that one daughter was married, and would not be so belligerent about Elizabeth marrying into the Lucas family.

Mr. Lucas had gone to London on business for the Lucas family before the illness struck down so many in Meryton that day. Elizabeth hoped he was well and not ill himself. She prayed for both their families as she fell asleep exhausted.

Mrs. Bennet did her best to care for Lydia, as she was her favorite child. Having first hand knowledge of the current physician practices, thanks to her unending ills, Mrs. Bennet was a diligent nurse. Once Lydia fell ill, Mrs. Bennet had thankfully stopped declaring that Mr. Collins would throw them out of Longbourn. Mr. Bennet was not through the illness yet, he still had a high fever and pox, but even though their mother stopped declaring her husband's imminent death, Jane and Elizabeth were worried it would come to pass soon. They stayed up throughout the nights to place cool cloths on his forehead and feed him broth. His fever finally broke and his coming back to consciousness was the greatest celebration.

Not long after Lydia's fever broke, and she quit rambling nonsensical things though Kitty teased her about it for days. The Bennet family was thankful and smiles were out on display once again, but the death of Hill made their joy short-lived. Their only servant was sent to the undertaker through who they found out how dangerous that illness, they know knew was smallpox, had been to the county of Hertfordshire. The undertaker had been called to every home in the county, no one had been left untouched except the Bennet family, as no one from their family had died.

Elizabeth wanted to run over to Lucas Lodge and beg for news of Mr. Lucas but she also did not want to hear that perhaps her friend was dead and her beau. So she stayed at Longbourn, worried.

There were so many deaths that the funerals occupied the local church every morning except Sunday, for several weeks. On Sunday the church was almost empty. Elizabeth did not know if it was due to people still at home recovering or if that many had actually died. She remembered what the undertaker had told them, that it seemed as if every child in the county had died from the smallpox.

Lydia had recovered but had scarring on her face from the pox. It was only very noticeable when she was quiet or not moving. Since Lydia was rarely either one of those, no one would probably notice the small scars.

The older girls walked to Meryton to purchase any vegetables they could find, as they had eaten some and used the rest for the broth they fed those that had fallen ill. Meryton was not nearly as busy as it should have been on a weekday morning. There was also no market. The girls would have stopped in on their aunt Mrs. Philips but a cloth over the door presumably meant not to enter. They hoped their aunt and uncle were recovering and not worse.

Cook finally recovered and other servants were hired. Everything seemed to be back to normal except for the lack of news from their aunt, her friend Charlotte and Mr. Lucas. Elizabeth walked to Lucas Lodge and stopped when she saw the black on the door and windows meaning a death in the family. She continued her approach to the front door and knocked. She would not have approached and bothered a family in mourning, but she needed to know about Mr. Lucas. Was he still alive? She had not received a letter from him since the smallpox had started.

The servant that answered was not one Elizabeth was familiar with and would give no other information than Charlotte was not available but would pass on the word that Elizabeth had called. Her heart was still in her stomach that Mr. Lucas had died, but she was also relieved that her good friend had not.

The next day Charlotte sent a note to Elizabeth, that she was well but in mourning for her father Sir William Lucas, her younger sister Maria and youngest brother had all died from the smallpox. Charlotte apologized for not receiving her, but she was busy sitting with her mother as they still did not know the fate of her elder brother, John.

Jane picked up the note from where it had fallen out of Elizabeth's hands onto the table in the sitting room. "Oh no, this is horrible. So many of their family dead."

"Is that from the Lucas' then?" Mrs. Bennet stood and walked towards their table.

Elizabeth excused herself and rushed to her room. She could not bear the thought of Mrs. Bennet denigrating the Lucas' when they had lost three members of their family and might have already lost a fourth, John. Tears ran down her face at the thought of John lying dead in London, having fallen ill in the streets with no one to help care for him. If only he had not left, but she knew that was stupid. No one could have predicted something so awful.

She sent a note back to Charlotte with condolences from all of them and an offer to provide whatever help they could. A note was brought back the same day. Charlotte said the only help they needed was to get her mother out of bed every day. She was waiting to meet with the solicitor for the terms of the will and with the bank until her mother was in better spirits.

There was a pall over the countryside, even Mrs. Philips, who recovered and visited them at Longbourn, stated that it was unnatural how quiet the town was without children. She also brought news that the young gentleman's party that recently leased Netherfield had experienced deaths as well. The man's brother-in-law had died, and a sister was so badly scarred that she would not leave her bedroom.

That night Jane and Elizabeth talked while in bed before they fell asleep. They had not done so for such a long time it seemed, since the smallpox had first affected their family. "An entire generation gone, Jane. How will anyone recover from this? How will the country carry on with so many children gone?"

"It is horrible and cruel for a parent to bury a child, and for so many of the children to have died, is just terrible. I do not know if we can recover. Something would have to be done, a law or proclamation that every woman had to bear children. But they would have to be married first, which would not make that easy to enforce."

Elizabeth stared at her reflection in the mirror, the dark circles under her eyes still visible. "I think you are right. And there is the threat of Napoleon invading. I have not heard if the smallpox affected the continent as well. To think if we were the only country to lose our children, and so many elderly."

"I would not be surprised if a ruling came down that we had to marry quickly and have children. I do not know who I would wed. There are not many to choose from, and John Lucas was the best." Jane gasped. "Lizzy, I am so sorry! Please forgive me."

Elizabeth closed her eyes as images of John appeared in her head. Walking hand in hand down the lane. Stealing kisses among the fruit trees. The braided bracelet he made for her. She wiped her face. "I know you forgot, Jane. It is easy to forget as it is a secret and we have had so much to deal with lately."

"But I hurt you with my carelessness. I am so sorry, Lizzy."

Elizabeth dried her cheeks again and settled in to sleep. She prayed that Mr. Lucas was alive and had just not been able to travel back to Meryton yet.

* * *

:( Poor Elizabeth.

I did quite a bit of research into smallpox for this story. Smallpox stats I found are that between 20 and 60% of all those infected—and over 80% of infected children—died from the disease. In my story the percentage dying is at the very high end.


	3. Chapter 3

"Fitzwilliam, I am glad you are here." The normally effusive and cheerful Mr. Bingley was subdued.

Mr. Darcy studied his friend for signs of recent illness but only saw tiredness, the kind that comes from unending bad news.

"I am sorry for not coming sooner. I had to go to London to retrieve the post for Pemberley and only just read your letters." He turned his head to view Miss Bingley approaching. He flattened his lips, as she was one person he wanted to avoid at Netherfield though that was usually impossible.

"Oh Mr. Darcy, I am so thankful that you have not been ill yourself. It is a dreadful business." Miss Bingley studied Mr. Darcy's countenance. "I heard you discussing the post, what an unreliable service. You would think the post delivery would be one service they would never fail to provide. And you, Mr. Darcy, had to travel to London to retrieve your post as they would not deliver. Preposterous!"

Mr. Darcy stared at Miss Bingley. "The reason the post was not delivered was that all the post-boys had died from smallpox." He was gratified by the blanching of her countenance.

"Let us go to my study, Fitzwilliam. I have a brandy that I think you will enjoy."

Miss Bingley opened her mouth but closed it quickly with consternation.

It was no secret to Mr. Darcy that she greatly admired him or his lands and took every opportunity to ingratiate herself to him. He, however was thankful for the reprieve. The friends retired to Mr. Bingley's study with glasses of fine French brandy.

"Charles, I have to say your last letter surprised me and I must thank you for it." Mr. Bingley raised his eyebrows. "I knew nothing of the marriage law and would probably have not for some time if it was not for your letter."

"You are welcome. And I am glad you accepted my invitation, though you must have experienced the smallpox at Pemberley?"

"We did. A great number of servants, those that were children or elder succumbed to the illness. My own sister Georgiana suffered and has been left with scars. I wanted to bring her with me to London but she refused to leave Pemberley on account of the scarring."

Mr. Bingley swallowed a large sip of his brandy. "If that is the worst you dealt with, you are lucky. My brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, died and Louisa suffered greatly. She has been left with scarring all over her body from what Caroline tells me. Louisa refuses to leave her rooms."

Mr. Darcy set his glass down and leaned forward. "I am sorry, Charles. I did not know you had ... experienced the worst here."

Mr. Bingley waved his hand. "Thank you. Everyone has experienced death from this damned illness."

Mr. Darcy leaned back in his chair, surprised at his friend's vehemence.

"I will be the first to admit that I did not think Louisa actually loved her husband, but she was inconsolable when she heard he had died. And of course now she has her own disfigurement to deal with as well. This is a damned horrible business."

Mr. Darcy studied his friend. This was the only time he had ever seen Mr. Bingley unhappy and not only that but angry. He did not want to bring up the marriage law, another topic sure to anger his friend, but it was hanging over both of their heads like the Sword of Damocles.

"I brought The Morning Post down with a full marriage law proclamation. Your sister, Mrs. Hurst, might not be subject to it if she is too ill to leave her rooms. It-"

Mr. Bingley turned to him, slamming his glass down on his desk. "It is a damned bit of cruelty making those that just lost a spouse or.. or a child forced to marry again! It is wretched and I have a mind to let the House of Lords know much my sister suffers!"

"I believe your letter may well keep your sister from being subject to the law or at the very least give her more time before she is forced to marry."

His friend smiled, for the first time that day. "I shall do that very thing." Mr. Bingley pulled out a sheet of parchment, foolscap, an inkwell and pen.

"You mentioned in one of your letters that you had found a woman and were in love with her. Have you found your bride already?"

Mr. Bingley looked up grinning from his letter where he had just wrote the date. "I have. I am so lucky to not be forced into marrying someone I do not like for she is beautiful, has such pleasing manners and figure."

"And who is she? Will I meet her soon?"

His friend looked down at his parchment. "I know that she is the eldest Bennet girl. I had just seen her when this horrible business started in Meryton."

Mr. Darcy raised his eyebrows. His friend had only seen her? Had not even been introduced, and he was set on marrying her? It was a good thing indeed that he came to Netherfield. Being married to the wrong woman would be a life sentence. "How did you know of the marriage law? You knew of it before I did and it was in the Post after you wrote to me."

Mr. Bingley sat up. "It was Caroline's friend in town whose husband sits in the House of Lords, Lady Coxcomb. She told Caroline to find the best man quickly but-" Mr. Bingley closed his mouth abruptly while staring at Mr. Darcy.

He raised an eyebrow. "I can imagine what she said. That she already had the best man, meaning me?"

Mr. Bingley sheepishly smiled. "Yes."

* * *

Now that business was returning to normal as much as it could around Hertfordshire, the Bennets returned from Meryton one day with all their post that had been delayed. Mr. Bennet took the post and shut himself in his study to catch up on all the correspondence. The family knew that he did not mean he would write replies, but that he would read all the post.

A loud noise from the study caused Elizabeth to throw her needlework aside and run to the study hoping to not find her father lying on the floor again. She threw open the door to find Mr. Bennet sitting alive and well behind his desk.

"You frightened me!"

Mr. Bennet looked over his glasses at her and then back down at the newspaper on his desk. "You might not be happy that you ran when you find out what was in the post. Look at this Lizzy, all unattached men and women of these certain ages must marry by the end of the year and produce a child within a year. Now that should make your mother happy do you think? She will finally have her daughters all married."

Elizabeth sat down in the chair in front of her father's desk. All unattached must marry and she was certainly in that group was she not? She stared unseeing in front of her as being forced to marry after she had most probably lost her beau was too much to bear.

"Lizzy, you have tears running down your face. Surely, you can not be making drama like your sister Lydia? This is not so bad, there are many fine young men around to marry. And you do not have to marry a young man if you do not want, why men of the age seventy are affected by the law as well."

Elizabeth stood and rushed out of the study. She knew her father was trying to make her laugh, as they usually laughed at the ridiculousness of society, but this was not amusing. It was just as she and Jane had discussed last night, there was now a law forcing them to marry. Would those in mourning be subjected to the law? She would still not be able to get out of it as her beau was a secret.

She threw herself on her bed and cried. Finally, she fully mourned that her happy future with Mr. Lucas would be no more. He had to be dead or he would have wrote or arrived home at Lucas Lodge. No, her heart pained her severely, she had to accept that he was dead. And not only that but she had to marry someone she did not love or care about before the end of the year. That was only less than four months away, three and a half months to find a man she could tolerate and marry?

Perhaps should could get an exclusion that would make her exempt from the law, one based on the mourning period for a loved one. She could show the letters Mr. Lucas had written to her, proof that she was in mourning for her beau was dead.

Elizabeth sat up, dried her eyes and face, and went back downstairs. She had to read that marriage law in its entirety. It would state who to contact with proof of being in mourning. Surely she would be exempt or at the very least have her time to find a man and marry be extended.

The sitting room was noisy with the youngest Bennet girls talking along with Mrs. Bennet about the marriage law. Mr. Bennet stood with his hands behind his back smirking and chuckling. She wished her father would help them and not just find sport in everything, but she knew he would never change.

Elizabeth sat down next to Jane on the bench seat. Jane squeezed her hand which made her smile, all would be well. She would be able to avoid this marriage law, she was sure of it.

"-not many good enough but I imagine there will have to be more assemblies for all the time you have to be married. Only four months! That is not even enough time for a trousseau to be made in London!" Mrs. Bennet frowned at the newspaper.

"I have to have a trousseau! Who can get married without one? All the new dresses and hats are the best part of a marriage." Lydia said from the corner where she sat in the most comfortable chair in the sitting room. She tired easily but Elizabeth thought she was prolonging and exaggerating her ills.

"What about the gentleman that leased Netherfield? He would be a grand man to marry." Kitty leaned over the table directing her comment to the Bennet parents.

Mr. Bennet rocked back on his feet and cleared his throat. "Yes, I suppose I should call upon him as I just opened his card stating he had moved into the neighborhood."

That pronouncement caused Mrs. Bennet to whip her head around towards her husband. "Oh, Mr. Bennet you must! The girls have to marry in a few months and need all the good connections they can make. Do go at once!"

"Mama, it is past calling hours. He cannot go until the morrow."

Mrs. Bennet turned a scowl on Kitty. "Oh hush up, Kitty. Can not you see this is an emergency with the marriage law? I am sure no will mind a late call on behalf of that business."

Elizabeth shared a look with Jane. Their father was of such a capricious nature that he just might do that. It would ruin their chances of gaining favor with that gentleman and his friends if he did.

"Papa," said Jane, "do you not think that with the losses they suffered at Netherfield, it would be better to wait and call in the morning?"

He smiled at his eldest daughter and winked. Elizabeth wished that meant he would do just as Jane had said. She certainly hoped so for her sister's sakes.

* * *

Oh no, Mr. Darcy! And poor Elizabeth. :(

I did quite a bit of research into smallpox for this story. Smallpox stats I found are that between 20 and 60% of all those infected—and over 80% of infected children—died from the disease. In my story the percentage dying is at the very high end.


End file.
